Electric bell-coupler for steam-railroads



(No Model.)

ELECTRIC BELL GOUPLER POR STEAM RAILROADS. Y N0. 366,654. Patented July 19, 1887.

UNITED STATES PATENT Ormea.

JOSEPH M. DUB'Y, OF MEDFORD, AND JOSEPH L. EDMESTER, OF CHELSEA, MASSACHUSETTS.

ELECTRIC BELL-COUPLE?? FOR STEAM-RAILROAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of'Letters Patent No. 366,654, dated July 19, 1887.

(No model.)

To LZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known thatwe, Josnrii M. DUnY and J osnru L. Eioirnsrnn, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Medford, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massa chusctts, and at Chelsea, in the county of Suf! folk and State of Massachusetts, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Connectors or Couplers for Electrical Conductors, of which the following` is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a perspective view of our improved coupler. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section thereof. Fig. 3 is a similar section, the members of the coupler being shown as separated. Fig. 4 is also asimilar section, showing one member connected with a dummy.

The same numerals of reference have been applied to corresponding parts in the several views.

Our invention has for its object to provide an improved coupler for two electric wires forming a safety-signal circuit for trains, the members of which coupler may be detached or uncoupled from each other by hand without breaking circuit; but which, if forcibly or accidentally uneoupled, as by the breaking of the train and the separating of the cars, will break the electrical circuitand sound an alarmbell in the cab of the engine. XVe accomplish this object by means of the mechanism illustratcd in the accompanying drawings, in which the coupler is represented as composed of two similar members, marked 1 and 2, respectively.

The body of each member is constructed of non-conducting material, and is preferably cylindrical in cross-section. Each member is provided with a tongue, n., projecting from its face, and a recess, b, adjacent thereto adapted to receive the tongue a of the fellow member, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3. The tongue is preferably semicircular in cross-section and the recess of corresponding shape. Each member is provided with a cap, 3, screwed upon its outer end. Each cap has a central opening, through which the two wires 9 and 10 of the cable c enter the coupler at its opposite ends, said wires diverging within the cap to diametrically-opposite points. One of these wires, 9, is connected with a copper' plate,

1l, which is secured at one end to the tongue c and extends along the llat face thereof and along the interior of the member to near the outer end thereof. The other wire, 10, is carried through the body of the member to the inner en d thereof, where it is in electrical connection with a metallic conducting-ring, 4, secured to the end of the member.

A bushing, 7, isscrewed radially into the 6o body of each member of the coupler on the opposite side of the recess from the plate 1 1, and through this bushing extends a push-pin, S. A bent spring, 12, is connectedat one end to the outer end of the plate 11, and its other 55 cuit is broken, even for an instant, said spring mechanism is set in motion and an alarm sounded.

lu the use of our improved coupler it is designed that one member thereof be attached to the cable at the rear of the tender and one So member to the cable at cach end of each car, and the two members at the meeting ends of adjacent cars are united to form the coupling. ln this normal position ofthe members the current passing over the wires from one pole of the battery then ilows through the two plates 11 and springs 12, which are in contact and by which the members of the coupler are held together, and from the other pole through the wires 1f) and end plates, 4, which are also 9o in contact.

In the operation of uncoupling the members the push-pin 8 is pressed upon until its inner end comes in contact with the spring 12,

thus short-circuiting the car, and as soon as the tongue c is withdrawn from the recess b the pressure on the puslrpin may be released, and the spring 12 will follow it and continue in electrical connection therewith, whereby the circuit will remain closed; but if the members ofthe coupler are forcibly detached the circuit is interrupted for an instant and IOO the alarm mechanism tripped and set inl motion.v In the operation of coupling the members the push-pins are also pressed upon before the members are interlocked, whereby the circuit is preserved and the coupling ef fected without sounding an alarm. When one member constitutes the end ofthe line at the end of a train, the spring 12 automatically forms contact with the bushing 7 and completes the circuit.

In Fig. 4 is illustrated a dummy member, 14, attached by a bar, 15, to the end of the car, in which the coupler may be placed when it is desired to hold the circuit open.

Separable metallic connectors 13 may be employed, if desired, for connecting the linelv wire within the car with the cables c, which extend between the cars. Each of these connectors comprises a metallieplate, 16, which is secured to the end of the ear, and a metallic plate, 17, which is detaehably keyed to the latter by a dovetail spline or key, 18, of one plate litt-ing into a dovetail groove of the other plate. The line-wire which extends through the car has its outer end connected to the plate 16 by being passedy through the hole 19 and secured to the binding post or screw '20. The end of the cable c, or of one ofits branches, is

connected to the metallic plate 17 at 21. When the electric signaling apparatus is in use, the two plates 16 and 17 are united; and in case the apparatus be not used the flexible cables extending beyond the ends of the cars for connecting the line of one with that of another may be taken off by detaehing the plate-1.7 from the plate 16.

Having thus described our invention, we claim` 1. An electrical coupler for the two wires of an alarm on railroad-trains, each member of which comprises a body provided with a tongue and recess adapted to engage the tongue and recess on the fellow member, a metallic plate on the flat face of said tongue, a metallic ring on the end of said member, and electrlcal connections between said plate and ring and the line-wires, respectively, substantially as described.

2. An electrical coupler for the two wires of an alarm on railroad-trains, each member of which comprises a body provided with a tongue and recess adapted to engage the tongue and recess on the fellow member, a metallic plate on the llat face of said tongue, a metallic ring on the end of said member, electrical connections between said plate and ring and the line-wires, respectively, and a spring secured `to the face of said plate, substantially as dcscribed.

3. An electrical coupler for the two wires of an alarm on railroad-trains, each member of which comprises a body provided with a tongue and recess adapted to engage the tongue and recess on the fellow member, a metallic plate on the flat face of4 said'tongue, la metallic ring on'the end of said member, electrical connections between said plate and ring and the 1inewires, respectively, a bushing in the body of the coupler in circuit-with the ring, a pushpin within said bushing, for the purpose set forth, and a spring secured te the face of said plate at its outer end, its inner end being adapted to impinge upon and form electrical contact with the bushing or puslrpin of the fellow member, substantially as described.

4. A connector for electric conductors comprising two metallic plates provided, respect- 

